MN DNR Enforcement

10/16/2026

With the youth and early antlerless deer seasons underway, and the Nov. 7 fi****ms opener on the horizon, please take a moment to refresh yourself and your hunting partners on staying safe while using a tree stand.

Falls from tree stands are the leading cause of injury among hunters, and many can be avoided.

A few tips:
• Make sure the stand is in good working order before using it
• Climb in and out slowly, focusing on each step
• Inspect your safety harness thoroughly, and use it when you’re in the stand, as well as when you’re climbing in and out
• Always maintain three points of contact with the steps or ladder

mndnr.gov/safety/treestand/index.html

10/15/2026

Here’s wishing everyone taking part in the youth and early antlerless deer seasons – both run Oct. 15-18 – a safe and enjoyable time afield.

Whether you’re hunting with a r***e or sh***un, please make safety your top priority and remember the key rules of safe fi****ms handling:

• Treat every fi***rm as if it’s loaded
• Always control the muzzle
• Be sure of your target and what’s beyond
• Keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to shoot We’ll see you out there.

mndnr.gov/safety/fi****ms-safety.html

10/10/2026

Hoping everyone has a safe and successful pheasant opener! Please keep in mind the basic rules of safe fi****ms handling and keep an eye on your dogs if you have them out with you today - it’s a hot one.

10/01/2026

Several Enforcement Division staff members, including COs Annette Schlag and Mitch Nowak – and their K9 partners Trapper and Hank – had a great time at today’s Metro Children’s Water Festival. They spent the day at the State Fairgrounds talking with fourth-grade students about Minnesota’s vital water resources.

09/28/2026

09/24/2026

One more chance to bid on confiscated bows, fi****ms, and other hunting and fishing equipment!

The DNR is holding the second of two online auctions for confiscated equipment on Sept. 28. The auction will begin closing that day at 5 p.m. A list of equipment to be auctioned and the bidding catalogue are available at the Hiller Auction Service website (www.hillerauction.com)

Online bidding begins tomorrow – Sept. 25, 2026 – and onsite inspection is available at Hiller Auction Service in Zimmerman from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Successful bidders must pick up equipment in-person; it cannot be shipped.

Items included have been confiscated following serious fish and game violations, or equipment that’s been deemed abandoned. All proceeds from the auction go into the state’s Game and Fish Fund, which is an account dedicated to fish and wildlife management.

See the confiscated equipment auctions web page for more information: mndnr.gov/enforcement/auctions/index.html

09/19/2026

As the small-game and archery deer hunting seasons kick off, we hope everyone has safe and successful hunts.

Just remember: The most important part of the hunt is that everyone makes it home safely.

Whether you’re targeting small game or hoping to pull back the string on a deer, please keep these safety tips in mind:

• Brush up on the key tenets of safe fi****ms handling and make sure fi****ms are in good working order.

• Be safe in the tree. Check all tree stand equipment for wear and tear, including safety harnesses, haul lines, the stand itself, and steps and ladders. Practice climbing into and out of the stand before the season starts. During the hunt, remember to keep three points of contact while climbing into and out of the stand.

• Ensure all members of hunting parties know where everyone will be hunting so they know where it is safe to shoot.

• Wear blaze orange or pink clothing (also encouraged for non-hunters in areas where people are hunting). It increases your visibility to other hunters who are sharing the area with you. Check the hunting regulations for when wearing it or having it on the ground blind is required.

09/17/2026

This week Minnesota DNR Enforcement representatives are proud to be part of the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators annual conference in Knoxville, Tennessee, bringing together boating safety educators, professionals, state boating law administrators and recreational boating safety partners from across the country.

The conference provides an opportunity to share ideas, learn from one another and bring new knowledge and resources back to our home states. From education and outreach to enforcement and training, we’re all working toward the same goal: helping people enjoy the water safely.

We’re proud to represent Minnesota and connect with the professionals dedicated to making boating safer nationwide.

09/10/2026

Here’s the latest in an occasional series of posts about conservation officers who are recognized for their lifesaving actions.

On May 20, Walker-area CO Jack Lien responded to a call about an unresponsive female in a relatively remote area.

Lien, along with a Cass County Sheriff’s Office deputy and an officer from the Walker Police Department, arrived on the scene about the same time. The three provided lifesaving measures to the victim, who was not breathing and didn’t have a pulse. Following a variety of actions, including applying chest compressions and using an AED, the victim regained a pulse, began breathing, and was transported by ambulance to the hospital.

09/08/2026

Good story here on the invasive species, game and fish, and other work our CO handlers and their K9 partners do every day to protect Minnesota's people and natural resources.

Invasive zebra mussels have infested five percent of Minnesota’s treasured lakes, rivers and waterways, where they gobble up nutrients that native fish and plants need. So to keep them from spreading, the state’s Department of Natural Resources is using specially trained K-9s to sniff them out.